whiteout conditions causing crashes and spinouts the massive winter storm on the move across 37 states from texas to maine snow, rain and bitter cold nearly 100 million under winter weather alerts blizzard warnings issued in some areas. we'll time it out for you. the high profile names joining president trump's legal team the man that investigated bill clinton, ken starr entering the impeachment fight, this time for the defense. how monica lewinsky is reacting and the famous attorney whose clients included o.j. simpson and jeffrey epstein. a week until the awards, the academy chief suspended. the allegation of misconduct and what she's saying tonight. >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt good evening breaking tonight, the cdc is mobilizing teams right now at three major u.s. airports in an urgent effort to head off a newly identified deadly virus from china.

passengers arriving from wuhan, china at new york jfk, los angeles international and san francisco international airports will face health screenings for symptoms of the virus which has killed at least two people and sickened dozens more here tom costello has late details. >> reporter: it's the first cdc airport health screening since ebola six years ago starting immediately at three key airports lax, sfo and jfk in new york any traveler arriving from wuhan, china will be screened. >> the earlier we can detect this virus, the earlier we can protect americans from it. >> reporter: already 45 cases have been reported in china including two deaths the victims are thought to have contracted it in a meat and seafood market and isolated cases in japan and thailand where health authorities are screening travelers.

the cdc says this new disease is a variation of the coronavirus that is a combination of the cold and another that killed 800. >> this affects the lungs. it sounds like influenza fever, aches, difficulty breathing and a cough. >> reporter: the concern, the virus could spread from human to human. the first flight from wuhan, china arrives at 10:00 p.m. tonight. erin is there. >> reporter: travelers will be asked if they have symptoms like a fever or cough and spent time at a fish or meat market. >> reporter: at lax travelers are starting to learn of the health alert. >> as long as we take preventive measures like we are now, we're fine i think. >> i heard that doctor in your story mentioned symptoms are like a cold. how might the cold and flu season complicate matters for

these screeners? >> reporter: that's the challenge. these are so similar to the flu season if somebody is really sick, they may send them to an area hospital, maybe put them in quarantine, but they say they may have to expand the screenings to other airports if the need arises. lester >> thank you. there is breaking news in northern california. an avalanche emergency at a popular ski resort leaving one skier dead here is steve patterson. >> ski patrol is requesting a third ground ambulance. >> reporter: tonight rescue teams leading a desperate search on lake tahoe after severe weather triggered an avalanche killing 34-year-old cole and

seriously injuring another there are reports of several missing skiers on a slope before 11:00 this morning. >> we're attempting to locate any other victims. >> reporter: officials later calling off the search just a few hours before the avalanche, the resort performed maintenance on the slope, typical at ski resorts across the country including controlled explosions similar to this one in utah. >> there would be no way the ski resort could open safely without an aggressive avalanche control program. >> reporter: this morning's avalanche likely triggered by relentless snow. the resort in lake tahoe reporting 19 inches over the last 24 hours as extreme weather sweeps across the country. tonight's fatal avalanche causing the tenth death nationwide this season and the latest at a ski resort where avalanches are rare. a disturbing new pattern right as ski season hits its stride. steve patterson, nbc news. >> and that avalanche was caused by heavy snow from the same massive and dangerous storm system moving across the country tonight. almost 100 million people are under winter weather alerts including blizzard warnings in the dakotas and minnesota. nbc's ron mott has the latest. >> reporter: tonight a massive winter storm system barrelling across the country making travel dangerous from coast-to-coast.

>> it's not even february yet. there is more coming. >> reporter: millions under blizzard warnings as whiteout conditions from the planes to the midwest cause spinouts and crashes. stranding vehicles in minnesota and in michigan, slick roads sending this suv on to its side. in nebraska gusty winds and snow piling up. metro omaha under a winter weather advisory. >> you got to push harder through the snow that's for sure. >> reporter: in iowa two pickups crashed. both drivers sent to the hospital hazardous conditions impacting the 2020 presidential race >> i'm vaughn hilliard in new n newton, iowa the snow has continued to swirl throughout the day but just over two weeks until the iowa caucus, joe biden cancelled his events across the state but here in newton, iowa despite the wintery conditions, folks to see candidate elizabeth warren >> reporter: this plane sliding

off the tarmac, nobody hurt. >> the nose of the plane slammed into the mud. >> reporter: in all, thousands of delays and cancellations adding to travel misery. in the pacific northwest, cleanup duty after heavy snow fell in washington and oregon while across the south, heavy rain and in texas, flooding. now tonight we're getting late word about a ground stoppage at o'hare international airport in the meantime, it's not so much the snow people are concerned about but what comes behind this system there will be much colder air and strong winds that will drive temperatures down this weekend, lester, into the single digits. >> looks nasty ron. let's get to the path of the storm from nbc bill karins bill, what are you seeing? >> reporter: ice for the lakes in the northeast and very little snow that changes this weekend. our life-threatening weather and storm is moving through the high plains blizzard conditions in minnesota, south dakota and northern iowa. it moves through the great lakes

and tomorrow it arrives in the northeast. many areas will have snow and shoveling and roads will be treacherous and new york city and significant delays and cancellations and behind the storms, negative windchill lester >> thank you, bill. on the eve of his impeachment trial president trump adding big legal guns to his defense team including alan dershowitz and ken starr and monica lewinsky is weighing in. >> reporter: the president's team is lined up president trump also turning to four frequent fox news like florida attorney general and independent counsels robert ray and ken starr who 20 years ago pursued the case against clinton. back then mr. trump blasting that impeachment case. >> i think ken starr is a lunatic.

i think ken starr is a disaster. >> reporter: this time starr is on the other side defending a president. monica lewinsky today tweeting this is definitely an are you expletive me kind of day critics note starr was pushed out as president of baylor university after he ignored allegations of sexual assault by football players and then harvard constitutional law professor allen dershowtz the democrat that voted for hillary clinton and one of the top defense attorneys in the country for o.j. simpson and jeffrey epstein. those associations leaving advisors and allies to caution against selecting dershowitz but the president praised his performances on tv. >> alan dershowitz saying there is no crime. >> reporter: dershowitz arguing. about military aid to ukraine. >> he never stopped the money but making sure there was no corruption completely within his

constitutional power. >> reporter: president trump hosting the lsu tigers blasting the democrats' case. >> a lot of presidents, some good, some not so good but you got a good one now even though they are trying to impeach the son of a bitch can you believe it >> it's at the heart of the campaign at the center of the case is not expected to join the defense team but tells nbc news he'll be advising the president. >> peter, thank you very much. also tonight, the jury now seated for harvey weinstein's trial. seven men and five women along with three alternates have been selected the former movie mogul is accused of raping a woman in new york in 2013 and forcing himself on another woman in 2006 weinstein has denied all accusations of non-consensual sexual activity. opening arguments are expected wednesday. a shocking development tonight for the grammys just over a week until the awards,

the first woman to leave the academy has been suspended and under investigation after she was accused of misconduct. we get details from nbc's miguel almaguer. >> reporter: just days before this year's grammys, a new controversy is striking a sour note for the recording academy the organization that oversees the show debra dugan the newly hired chief executive is now on administrative leave a source with direct knowledge of the events says dugan was removed after the previous ceo's assistant of 20 years accused her of a bullying management style amid concerns of the role within the academy with dugan out just as they get set to lay the red carpet, the recording academy says independent investigators are reviewing a formal allegation of misconduct calling the move necessary to repair morale but dugan's attorney fired back when our ability to speak is not restrained by a 28-page contract

and legal threats, we will expose what happens when you step up. >> often imitated, never duplicated that's the grammys. >> reporter: stepping up is a reference to dugan's predecessor who was forced to step aside after he suggested women in the music industry need to step up if they want to advance their careers. dugan's investigation comes after she sent a memo to human resources where she outlined concerns about voting irregularities, financial mismanagement and a laundry list of other concerns. >> reporter: tonight a scandal striking the wrong tune at the grammys leaving many asking was the new chief executive forced out for speaking up or lashing out? miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. we will be right back in 60 seconds with new arrests of suspected white nationalists as a showdown over gun rights draws near and the deeply personal revelation by a presidential

candidate's wife

four more suspected white nationalists are under arrest. the governor's temporary state of emergency is now in effect. jeff bennett is in richmond. >> reporter: tonight, the arrests of four more suspected neo-nazis connected to what authorities call a white supremacist group. it calls itself the base the english translation of al qaeda. yesterday the fbi arrested three other members of that same group who officials say had obtained weapons and discussed attending a progun rally in virginia next week virginia governor ralph northam declaring a state of emergency with law enforcement officials pointing to credible threats of violence and plans by out of state militia groups to attend a circuit court judge upholding the decision to temporarily ban firearms on capital grounds.

one of the organizers of monday's rally pushing back. >> we've done this since 2003 every year always peaceful. not one incident. >> reporter: northam fearful of a repeat in charlottesville, virginia three years ago heather heyer killed while peacefully protesting neo-nazis. >> he was passionate about equity and justice. >> reporter: susan is heather's mother she runs a social justice foundation she named after her slain daughter susan who is a gun owner thinks the governor made the right move. >> i think i would rather see him take stricter measures than not enough we don't need another charlottesville. the wife of democratic presidential candidate andrew yang is going public with something painful from her past. evelyn yang says she was the

victim of a sexual assault by a doctor when she was pregnant here is stephanie gosk. >> reporter: evelyn yang was seven months pregnant with her first child when she was sexual assaulted by her ob/gyn. >> i was in the exam room and dressed and ready to go and he proceeded to grab me over to him and undress me and examine me internally ungloved. i knew i was being assaulted. >> reporter: yang told cnn shes initially too scared to tell anyone what happened at that 2012 visit with dr. hadden. >> i remember trying to fix my eyes on a spot on the wall and just trying to avoid seeing his face as he was assaulting me. >> reporter: she later learned there were several other women with stories just like hers and in 2014 the manhattan district attorney indicted him on nine counts including criminal sexual assault stemming from incidents

involving six patients, not including yang two years later, he and the d.a.'s office agreed to a deal hadden pleaded guilty to two of the lesser charges and lost his medical license and had to register as a low-level sex offender but never went to prison a deal that didn't sit well with yang. >> the d.a.'s office is meant to protect us it's meant to serve justice, and there was no justice here. >> reporter: tonight, the manhattan d.a.'s office is defending the plea deal writing in a statement because a conviction is never a guaranteed outcome in a criminal trial, our primary concern was holding him accountable and making sure he could never do this again, which is why we insisted on a felony conviction and permanent surrenderer of his medical license. in court filings, hadden's lawyer denied yang's allegations

and meanwhile yang and 31 other former patients are suing hadden and the hospital system for failing to protect them. stephanie gosk, nbc news, new york. delta airlines is facing a new lawsuit after one of its planes dumped fuel during an emergency above several los angeles schools this week. four teachers say they were among some 60 people injured including children when the fuel was released at low altitude. >> i started yelling for my students to come back inside the building i didn't know where the smell was coming from. i thought oh my god, it must be a terrorist attack. >> reporter: the faa is investigating and says the pilots didn't clear the dump with the air traffic control. a new alert on the flu it's wide spread in 48 states, 13 million cases have been confirmed this season with roughly 120,000 hospitalizations and 6600 deaths. children are being hit especially hard this season. up next, why right now may be the best time to save big money on your home

finally as we head into the weekend, the business where something special is brewing kevin tibbles with the cans and canines inspiring america. >> reporter: finding a home. they have a soft spot for our four-legged friends and to assist in getting dogs in a local shelter adopted, they printed their names faces and fun facts on the latest run of beer cans. busy enjoys sleeping in and meeting new dogs and moby loves long walks

the brewery's aaron hill hopes the first round showcasing six canines is a dog gone hit. >> the goal is to get these dogs adopted and maybe again in three or four months kind of do a new bach of dogs. >> reporter: this guy needs tlc. >> he does. >> reporter: jared ryan brain stormed the idea model after missing kids on milk cartons this is virginia and this is her beer can. >> it could help save a life it could open eyes to a dog that maybe you wouldn't think would be for you but very well could be. >> super sweet and hugs, which is great. >> reporter: that forever home is there for her. >> reporter: raising awareness to raise a glass to help a few

under dogs have their day. kevin tibbles, nbc news, fargo. >> a great way to toast the weekend. that is "nightly news" i'm lester holt. thank you for watching and good night, everyone. ♪ ♪ this hit, that ice cold ♪ michelle pfeiffer, that white gold ♪ ♪ this one for them hood girls ♪ them good girls straight masterpieces ♪ ♪ stylin', wilin', livin' it up in the city ♪

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♪ uptown funk you up ♪ uptown funk you up ♪ uptown funk you up ♪ uptown funk you up ♪ uptown funk you up ♪ uptown funk you up ♪ uptown funk you up ♪ uptown funk you up [cheers and applause] >> kelly: welcome to "the kelly clarkson show," everybody! we have an incredible hour lined up. the doctor is in. i'm talking about dr. phil mcgraw, y'all! plus, former "mean girl," i love that movie, i now the reigning queen of hallmark christmas movies, lacey chabert is here! and later, the incredible story of a woman helping underprivileged girls look and feel beautiful. you don't want to